Combination article display device and price indicator unit



Jan. 8, 1952 M. CARUSO 2,581,468

COMBINATION ARTICLE DISPLAY DEVICE AND PRICE INDICATOR UNIT Filed Dec.10, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR. flZk/e/a 042mm.

Jan. 8, 1952 M. CARUSO 2,531,468

COMBINATION ARTICLE DISPLAY DEVICE AND PRICE INDICATOR UNIT Filed Dec.10, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR. Mae/.4 Chev/so 4 TTOf/VE Y.

Patented Jan. 8, 1952 COMBINATION ARTICLE DISPLAY DEVICE AND PRICEINDICATOR UNIT Mario Caruso, Maplewood, N. J., assignor to C-EightLaboratories, Newark, N. J.

Original application December 26, 1946, Serial No.

718,529. Divided and this application December 10, 1947, Serial No.790,845

7 Claims. (01. 4o-5 This invention relates to article display devicesand price indicators applicable to article dispensers in general, and isparticularly adapted for vending machines such as disclosed inco-pending application Serial No. 718,529, filed by applicant December26, 1946, and of which application the present case is a division.

In most vending machines the articles to be dispensed are usuallyobservable by the purchaser. In devices where such articles ofmerchandise are obscured, it is preferred to provide representations ofthe difierent articles carried in the ma chine.

The present invention contemplates the employment of a novel combinationarticle display device and price indicator containing representations ofthe several articles of merchandise contained in and dispensable from avending machine, and which combination device is an independent entitywhich may be bodily associated with or removed from the vending machine,and wherein the several representations of articles are removablymounted in the device so as to permit their exchange or replacement, andwherein in conjunction with each article-representing display there isprovided a selective price indicator for denoting the cost of an articleto be dispensed.

The main objects of the present invention are to provide a combinationarticle display device and price indicator which is relatively simple,inexpensive and effective, and wherein means are provided for removablyholding individual articlerepresenting displays, and wherein with eachsuch display is associated a selective price indicator adapted todisclose the cost of the article displayed, and wherein both thedisplays as well as the price indices are translucent for rendering themreadily visible when illuminated. The foregoing and numerous otherobjects and advantages of the present invention will become more fullyapparent from the ensuing description, in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a presently preferred form of thedevice;

Fig. 2 is a partial detail top view of the device with portions thereofremoved;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan view of a portion of the priceindicator disc;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 4--4 through Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top view of a vending machine cabinet showing a combinationarticle display deyice and price indicator;

Fig. 6 is a partial section taken on line 6-6 through Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional "view taken on line l! of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmental section taken on line 8-8 through Fig. 2; and

Fig; 9 is a fragmental perspective detail View of the article displaycarrier with the article display-representation extending beyond itscarrier.

Referring now specifically to the various figures, the present devicecomprises a substantially step-shaped frame, generally indicated at I0,comprising lower and upper or elevated portions, including a base Hterminating at one end in a rear supporting flange l2 and having anupwardly bent front flange I3 terminating in a forwardly directedelevated ledge 14. Base II is provided with a plurality of openings I5,as clearly seen in Figs. 2, 7 and 8, which openings are separated fromone another by relatively narrow spacing areas l6.

Article-representing display Superimposed over the base and attachedthereto is a continuous top structure, generally indicated at I l, whichis composed of a row of upwardly bowed, spaced sections or portions l8provided with openings i9, which latter substantially register withopenings l5 of the base. These bowed-out portions are connected byrelatively narrow spacing areas 20, which are fixedly secured to spacingareas 16 provided between the openings of the base. Each of the bowedsections or portions constitute, together with their respective baseportions, individual frame-like receptacles for accommodating individualarticlerepresenting displays, denoted generallz. at 2|.

Each of the article displays constitutes a display carrier 22, as seenin Fig. 9, which comprises a transparent sheet bent upon itself at 23 soas to form top and bottom layers 24 and 25 between which is removablyplaced a preferably, translucent article-representing display 26. Bothends of display 26 are preferably provided with arcuated cutouts 21which clear the end portions of the display carrier, therebyfacilitating the observation of the vending machine portion just belowthe article displays, and particularly of the magazines holding articlesto be dispensed. Thus it is simple for the attendant serving the machineto locate an empty magazine and to re.- fill the same with the correctmerchandise. Carrier 22 normally is fiat, but when inserted into any oneof the receptacles it is flexed upwardly .so thathits body conforms tothe bowed-out portion l8, while its longitudinal side edges engage andare securely held at the opposite junctions between spacing areas l6 and20 of the base and of top structure II, respectively, as clearly seen inFig. 8.

Price indicator ing the fulcra of rotatably mounted -discs 3,0.

a sired cost price of the article to be dispensed.

The latter are operative below ledge J4 and -.be-

tween that ledge and an angle membertl. disposed beneath and spaced fromledge l4 and extending lengthwise beyond both ends of the ledge, asclearly seen in Fig. '1. The downwardly directed fiange32 of .angle 3.!serves as a "reiniorcement for the device. The ends ,of the anglearerecessed at.33, these recessed portionsserving as end-supports forthe device, as seen in "Figs. 6 and 7. :Along the rear-edge of angle.formation 3| there are provided cut-outsbr openings 34, indicatedinFigs.2.and' 7. These openings registerswith openings-28 provided -intop ledgel 4.

The price indicator discs 30 are made of rotatably mounted on pins 29,which latter pass through both the top ledge l4- and angle 3!,

may beadjusted exteriorly of the ledgeto any position-so that any oneofthe translucent-numbers'becomes framed within and visible throughopening 28. -As stated, boththe display items as wellas the numerals ofdisc 30 are translucent. It is preferred to place beneath thecombination article display; device and price, indicator a suitablelight source 36, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and "7, which light sourceprovides sufiicient illumination below both the display matter as wellas the numerals of the" price indicator to render them easily readable.In Figs. '5,'6'and 7 themrangement of the device in respectto avendingmachine-is clearly illustrated. As stated previously, the devicerepresents an entirely self-contained structure which may "be"bodilyplaced into or removed from anexisting vending machine. Suitablesupporting means, such as shown at 3T and;38 in'Figs. 6 and 7, areprovided, which supporting means are preferably equipped with top andbottom end stops 3!! and 7 39' to prevent shifting of thedevicewithinthe machine. "It is'also preferred that the "device is covered by,for instance, a glass panel, such as indicated in "Figs: 5 and}; at 40,which isjset into the cover-4| of'the'machine.

-Frorn the foregoing description of the present any desired setting toindica'te the prevailing de- The simple and efiective construction ofthe device renders it relatively inexpensive and also pleasant to lookat, and the translucency of the displays and of the price numbersdefinitely adds :to the "practicability randattractiveness of thestructure.

Having thus described the present invention,

a it is obvious that changes and modifications may berequired for thepurpose of adapting the device to various vending machines, all withinthe scope of the present invention as covered by the annexed claims.

I claim:

.1. In a, device .for displaying in vending machinesand the-likearticles of merchandise and theirprices a self-contained structureadapted for bodily placement into and removal from such vending machine,said structure comprising a frame having a step-shaped loaseprovided atits rear edge with a supporting'fiange,arr upwardly bent front flangeand a forwardly'direc-te'd ledge, said base having a plurality ofapertur'es separated by spacing areas a continuous topstructuresuperimposed over and attached to the spaning areas of the base andhaving upwardly bowed, apertured sections registering 'with'the baseapertures and'forming with-their respective apertured base portionsindividual receptacles; bowed, translucent article-representing displaysremovably held within said receptacles and having cutouts at their ends;an angular front-supporting member for the frame associated withandspaced from, said ledge; a plurality .oi registering..,aperturesprovidedin said ledge and insaidangular member, a plurality of opaquerotaryprice-bearing discs operative between the ledge :and saidmember-and having translucent numerals adapt- ,ed .to be aligned withthe registering apertures provided in the ledge and in saidangularfrontand in the angular member beingali-g-nedwith the center portions ofsaid apertured sections of the top structure attached to. the base.

, 2. The combination with a vending-machine .or thelike provided withrear and frontalsupporting means for a combined merchandise-dis- .playand price-indicating unit,- the latter .comprising a frame adapted forbodily placement into and removal in respect .to.said supporting meansofthe vending machine, said frame consistingoi a-substantiallystep-fshapedsbase havin iailower portion and an elevated Iedgathe lowerportion supporting atop structure, said lower. base portion .and saidtopstructure iorming sections haw :ing registerin apertures separated byjoined spacing areas, the sections ;0i the .top structure being bowedand forming with-their; correspondin base section i iv dual displ yrecepta l s;

.a; downwardly directed flange formed at; the-rear .of the'base andbeing adapted to rest jllDOllrSELid rearsupportingmeans, an upwardly directed flange forming a step in the base-xand-termi hating in said:ledge which -extends forwardly; an angular front support for said basearranged beneath and extending sidewiselybeyond the-ends of said ledgeand being-adapted to restuponthe frontal supporting means; said ledgeand said angular front support-having aligned apertures; a pluralityoipins spacing the -fro-nt-suppert'from and associating it with saidledgerbowed; trans-- lucentmerchandisedisplays removably secured insaid.display-receptacles; and opaque pricebearing discs rotatablymounted-about said pins and operable between said ledge and said frontsupport; said discs having peripherally arranged translucent numbers,said discs being so arranged in respect to the apertures of said ledgethat any one of their translucent numbers may be placed into registrywith the aligned apertures of the ledge and of the front support.

3. In a combination article display and price indicator unit for vendingmachines, adapted for placement into and removal from a vending machine,a substantially step-shaped frame comprising a base having a rearsupporting flange adapted to rest against an end stop in the vendingmachine, an upwardly directed flange at the front and terminating in aforwardly extending ledge, said base having a plurality of separatedapertures, a continuous structure superimposed upon and secured to thebase and comprising a plurality of upwardly bowed, spaced sectionsprovided with apertures, these latter apertures registering with theapertures of the base, the bowed sections forming individual receptaclesfor article-representing displays; said forwardly extending ledge havinga plurality of relatively small apertures and pins passing through theledge and being spaced from these small apertures, opaque discsrotatably suspended from the pins beneath said ledge and havingcircumferentially disposed translucent indices, an angle structurebeneath the discs and terminating in a downwardly directed flangeprovided with end recesses. the recessed ends serving as frontal supportfor the unit, said pins p ss g through said angle structure, the latterhaving apertures registering with the small apertures in the ledge, theindices of the discs being adapted to become visible through the smallapertures in the ledge and the registering apertures of the anglestructure, when illuminated from beneath the latter, said pins, saidsmall apertures in the ledge and in the angle structure and the centersof the upwardly bowed, spaced sections supported by the base beingaligned in a vertical plane.

4. In a combination article display and price indicator unit for the topportion of a vending machine equipped with means for accommodating theunit, the latter being adapted for bodily insertion into and removalfrom said top portion of the vending machine, said top portion havingrear and frontal supporting and shiftlimiting means for the unit, saidunit comprising a step-shaped frame composed of a base havingsubstantially rectangular apertures and an upper structure with upwardlybowed, similarly apertured sections, the apertures in the base and inthe upper structure registering, said sections forming receptacles fortranslucent, exchangeable article-representations adapted forillumination from beneath, said base having a downwardly directed rearsupporting flange and an upwardly directed frontal flange terminating ina forwardly extending ledge, an angle structure suspended from the ledgeand having a arranged translucent indices rotatably mounted.

between said ledge and said angle structure so that one of the indicesof the discs can be made visible through the apertures in the ledge,said openings in the ledge being aligned with the longitudinal centerlines of the apertured sec-- tions.

5. In a combination article display and price indicating unit as inclaim 4, said discs being sodisposed in respect to said ledge that aportion of the discs extends beyond the ledge sufficient- 1y to renderthe discs adjustable exteriorly of the ledge.

6. In a combination article display and price indicator unit as in claim4, said frontal supporting flange of the angle structure having recessesat both its ends for engagement with the frontal supporting andshift-limiting means provided in the vending machine top portion.

7. In a combination article display and price indicating unit, asubstantially step-shaped frame structure having a lower rear portionand a frontal portion elevated in respect to the rear portion, said rearportion having a series of upwardly bowed, spaced and aperturedreceptables for removablyjaccommodating translucent artide-representingdisplays, said frontal elevated portion having a series ofprice-indicating discs corresponding in number to that of thereceptacles, said discs having peripherally disposed translucentindices, said frontal portion comprising a ledge and an angle structure,the latter being spaced from and disposed beneath said ledge, said discsbeing operatively mounted between the ledge and the angle structure, thelatter and theledge having registering openings adapted to rendervisible the indices of the disc, said openings being centrally alignedwith the uppermost center portions of the apertured receptaclm.

MARIO GARUSO.

REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

